Customer Reviews

Midnight in Ruby Bayou

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's hard to believe that anyone can maintain the level of excellence that Elizabeth Lowell had maintained in the Donovan series, but she has done it again with Ruby Bayou. Wow is about the only word to describe just how good this book is. By the name, you will guess that this book focuses on a mystery about the ruby trade (the others in the series focused on amber, jade and pearl trades). Though Ms. Lowell has written other books on the fine gem industry (Diamond Tiger and The Ruby (both under her Ann Maxwell pseudonym)), she still manages to bring new information to blend with sizziling sensuality and a great mystery. Also interesting, she brings Owen Walker (from Jade Island) as Faith Donovan's mate. Seemingly less intense that Ms. Lowell's other heroes in this series, he is a great character who compliments the hurt Faith. I always enjoy Ms. Lowell's male characters, as they are always very strong and genuinelly interesting... they aren't a copy of anyone! I think her husband's influence (she used to write with him under the pseudonym A.E. Maxwell) gives her books both strength and truth. This is a great stand alone-book, but it is even better if you read the others. Good reading!

Elizabeth Lowell (aka, Ann Maxwell) contributes another intelligently written, enthralling novel. The dialogue is snappy and clever, the plot is well thought out and holds some intriguing surprises, while returning to the Donovan family is like welcoming an old friend back into your home. The topical information on rubies is fascinating and instructive. However, the issue which changed my rating from "5" to "4" was that the relationship didn't sizzle for me. The romance was tepid. Although this book was an enjoyable read and one I will certainly read again, I don't believe this installment in the Donovan saga is up to Ann's usual standard for romance. She normally produces sizzling romantic tension/resolution that is completly engaging -- the reader becomes emotionally engaged in the relationship as it evolves. Ruby Bayou, however, didn't evoke the same emotional connection for me...the Faith and Walker relationship took a long time to develop and then quickly transformed from passion to love to permanence in an implausible way -- Walker does a romantic 180 and the transformation seems forced. It seems clear that as romance writers are elevated to "mainstream fiction" by their publishers they lose some of the romantic heat which is so appealing to romance readers. For diehard romance readers: before you pay hardback cover prices for this, just know that while its a great suspence read and offers a welcome return to the Donovan family, Ruby Bayou may leave you romantically wanting.

Once again, Lowell saves a tired plot with clever banter and one likeable character. Owen is, for me, the best male character of the series. He is warm without being mushy, savvy without being hard like Archer. Even with his recent injury, he manages to be extremely tough to kill.

Too bad he wasn't paired with a more memorable female lead, but Faith lacks spine. Recovering from a very weak chioce on her last boyfriend, I began to wonder halfway through if she didn't deserve him. There was just something missing in her character.

The plot itself is pretty mundane, missing gems, bad guys, eccentric southern family with a history of abuse and other weird stuff. The resolution of the conflict also lacks sizzle. Faith, proving once again what a flat character she is, caves competely, without even an attempt at assertiveness.

There wasn't as much information on rubies as I have come to expect, either. I missed the soundbites of lore and legend, coupled with the gemacological tidbits

The improvement I would suggest is for Owen to leave Faith, meet a woman with a bit more oomph, and have a rough and tumble courtship that doesn't involve steroetypical bad guys (The Mob, come on!). Now that would be a book worth keeping. This one, I fear, is defintitely one to recycle.

I am not going to complain about the in depth jewelology that is all over this book because some people enjoy it and the author clearly enjoys writing about it. I just wish the love story could have been as lovingly rendered as the details given the ruby business. The love scenes were certainly passionate and thrilling, but the romance part a little lacking. Best things about the book were more visits to Donovan family, fun Bayou location, and sizzling attraction between characters. Weaknesses include, why was the pregnant lady crazed about gaining weight? Honey, your'e eating for two! Have some more pasta! There were a few blips in logic like that which I found really jarring; the sudden introduction and then focus of the secondary family, I just spent the first half of the book investing in a whole world on international bad guys, and then I was thrown a more domestic and not really connected group of secondary charaters half way through that i didn't really care about. And finally the very quick resolution keeping the hero and heroine together was not very emotional or satisfying. If I am going to read hundreds of pages of stuff about rubies and murders and ghosts and rape etc. in my ROMANCE novel, then the romace better pay off in the end and not give me the sense that the writer went, whew! case solved, and lovers...poof!...in love! Off to the publisher! I only sort of felt the love in this book.

Donovan International is a multi-conglomerate, but the heart of the company is the Gems and Minerals division. Their principal designer is Faith Donovan, an exquisite jewelry artist, and a person with a negative self-image. Owen Walker is the company's troubleshooter. He willingly risks his life for the sake of action. However, Owen feels responsible for his brother's death. He has adopted the Donovan clan as his own family.

Faith is currently working on a multi-million dollar ruby necklace for her best friend's wedding when someone steals several pieces. The family believes the robber wanted the ruby necklace. They assign Owen to keep Faith safe. After she completes the necklace, the item is placed on display. The convention hall is robbed, Faith is mugged, and the necklace is delivered to Ruby Bayer. As Owen and Faith come close to losing their lives, they fall in love.

MIDNIGHT IN RUBY BAYOU is the fourth and final tale in the best-selling Donovan series. The story line lives up to its predecessors as it is filled with action and great characters. The romance between the heroine and the hero is believable yet steamy. Elizabeth Lowell is a major talent who will send new fans searching for the previous three Donovan novels (see PEARL CLUB, JADE ISLAND, and AMBER BEACH).

Harriet Klausner

Midnight in Ruby Bayou follows in the tradition of the Donovan Family. Younger sister Faith finally meets her romantic match in Donovan International troubleshooter, Owen Walker. Very entertaining, Faith is asked to design a wedding present for her college roommate, who is marrying into the Montague. This book is a fast-paced look at the Montague family's troubled history with beautiful Burmese's rubies and skeletons in the closet. Faith and Owen are forced to run the gauntlet to save a ruby treasure in time to avert and international incident, while contending with the Russian mafiya, and family's destructiveness. A completely entertaining read, this book is a great addition to the Donovan family series, but may at times appear short on detail.

The romance/mystery of Midnight in Ruby Bayou brings Owen Walker and Faith Donovan together to continue the saga of the magnificent Donovan clan. This is the story of a strong man and strong woman who come together and surprise each other, woven togeher with enough bad guys to keep you guessing, enough good guys to keep your hopes up and enough down-home southern scandal to make you feel you are hanging over the back fence with a neighbor. We also learn of the present status of our past Donovan books. This book kept my interest (and I'm hard to please) even when I should have been turning out the lights and going to sleep. If you loved her past books, you'll love this one.

After reading books such as Pearl Cove and Jade Island I found this book to be dull and uninspiring. Elizabeth Lowell's books generally keep riveted for I connect with her characters so much that while I am reading one of her books I feel as if i am right there witnessing it. I found this book to be vastly annoying, contrite and utterly disappointing. After having heorines like Honor I could not understatnd how she could write a book in which her character fell flat. The storyline never stays consistent and keeps bringing in new characters that are unexplained and have no place in this story. She draws the book out with the tale of this ghost walking the shores and then ends it abruptly with some simpered tale of a stillborn child. Sorry Elizabeth, but definetly not your best work.

This was the perfect ending to the Donovan series. Faith and Walker both had to overcome past hurts to find love within each other. I loved the way that the entire Donovan family from all 3 previous books were woven into the plot. I loved hearing about Honor & Jake's daughter, Lianne and Kyle's twins, and Archer and Hannah's pregnancy. Having read all of the other books prior to this one I could appreciate every aspect of the plot.
I am enthralled by the way that Lowell uses characters from different backgrounds, like Seattle and South Carolina and makes them fall in love and they each cherish their culture and learn to respect the others.
I have already read each book in the series at least a dozen times each and I will keep reading them for a long time to come. I do wish that Lowell would write about Justin and Lawe though. I feel like part of their family is missing not knowing about them.
All in All... a MUST HAVE for your romance collection.

This book starts off really smoothly with an intro to the plot and all and we are able to seen and experience the chemistry all in all it was really captivating except for the rushed ending